The present invention relates generally to hardware used for picture frames and the assembling of picture frames. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatuses and hardware used to assemble various picture frame components together, such as “channel” or “profile” picture frame components for the construction of a picture frame.
In the industry, these known picture frame components are typically manufactured of aluminum but may be of other materials, such as molded plastic. Typically, these frames include a total of four members with ends mitered at 45 degrees so that they may neatly mate with one another to form the frame. There is a need in the art to secure the mitered ends together to maintain the frame in its desired shape.
Also in the industry, wood frames are also employed. These frames must be nailed, glued or stapled together. However, with metal frames, such as the above “channel” frames made of aluminum with a channel therein, some type of joint connector must be employed to secured the ends to each other. Known picture frame joints in the prior art typically include an L-shaped plate with two short threaded fasteners through female threaded apertures on each of the two legs of the L-shaped plate. The bottom of the screw members communicate with a thrust plate which is, essentially, the same size and dimension of the main plate but does not have any threaded apertures. These two members are mated together and inserted into the frame to form a “set screw” configuration. As the screws are threaded through the female apertures, the bottom of the screws emanate further below the main member to cause the main member and the thrust plate to be urged further away from each other. Since these two members are residing within a channel in the aluminum frame, the joint is secured therein in clamping fashion. Of course, a second frame member is provided 90 degrees to the one provided to, in turn, form the desired square or rectangular configuration. This prior art construction requires the formation of the threaded bores as well as the tapping of the screws for shipping. However, it is common for these screw members to back out of their respective bores during transit requiring replacement and further handling for installation.
A number of new connectors in the art are known that are suitable for replacing the well-known “set-screw” plate connector of the prior art. For example, impact sensitive connectors can be employed to joint two picture frame members together to form a completed picture frame. For example, commonly owned pending U.S. Ser. No. 10/054,050, filed on Jan. 22, 2002 and U.S. Ser. No. 10/248,764, filed Feb. 14, 2003, which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose such impact sensitive connectors for assembling picture frames members together. These impact sensitive connectors are typically installed using a hand operated tool to impart the requisite impact to secure the connector to the picture frame member, such as a rotatable eccentrically positioned pin, to assemble the completed frame. While the new impact sensitive connectors are far superior to the prior art plate connectors of the set-screw type for the reasons discussed above, picture frames using the new impact sensitive connectors are time consuming to assemble because they require manual assembly using a specialized tool.
In view of the foregoing, there is a demand for an apparatus that automates the process of assembling a picture frame using impact sensitive corner joint connectors. There is also a demand for an apparatus that can assemble a picture frame joint much faster that a picture frame joint that is manually assembled. There is a further demand for an automated machine that is easy to operate and maintain. There is a particular demand for an apparatus that can more effectively assemble a picture frame joint than a manually assembled joint yet be significantly less labor intensive. There is a demand to provide a complete automated replacement to the prior art plate set-screw type of picture frame corner joint connector.